A timeline of North Korea's missile and nuclear tests and threats in 2017

The U.N. Security Council was called into emergency session Friday after North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile, to talk about what to do now that Kim Jong Un has ignored its latest round of sanctions.

The U.N. Security Council was called into emergency session Friday after North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile, to talk about what to do now that Kim Jong Un has ignored its latest round of sanctions.

Kim Jong Un’s North Korean regime has been one of Donald Trump’s greatest challenges as president, with what has become a near-constant barrage of threats, missile tests and shows of technological advancement that have only ramped up since the summer, fostering fears — largely dormant for decades — of actual nuclear war.

North Korea’s longest-ever flight of a ballistic missile Thursday is the latest aggression by the country.

As the Trump administration — led by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson — works with other world leaders, allies and the U.N. Security Council to address how to rein in North Korea and its seemingly growing nuclear threat, we wanted to list the major developments that have happened since January.

Jan. 1 — Jong Un touts intercontinental ballistic missile

A handout picture released by North Korean news agency, KCNA (Korean Central News Agency) on January 1, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un delivering the new year message in Pyongyang. (KNCA via AFP/Getty Images )

With Barack Obama president and Trump well along in his transition, Jong Un announced North Korea was prepared to conduct its first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

In his annual New Year’s address, he threatened to continue boosting the country’s military capabilities if the U.S. didsn’t stop its military exercises with North Korea. (Such annual drills typically occur in August.)

“The political and military position of socialism should be further cemented as an invincible fortress,” Jong Un said. “We should resolutely smash the enemies’ despicable and vicious moves to dampen the pure and ardent desire of the people for the party and estrange the people from it.”

May 14 — launch of new intermediate-range missile

In one of the clearest signs of Jong Un making good on his Jan. 1 announcement, North Korea successfully launched a medium-to-long range ballistic missile that can carry a heavy nuclear warhead.

July 4 — first intercontinental ballistic missile test

This photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, in North Korea's northwest, Tuesday, July 4, 2017. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

“The launch continues to demonstrate that North Korea poses a threat to the United States and our allies,” Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said.

The missile landed in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

July 28 — second intercontinental ballistic missile test

North Korea’s second ICBM flew for about 45 minutes and reached a height of about 2,300 miles before crashing into the sea off Japan. Experts estimated that similar missiles on the right trajectory could reach the U.S. mainland.

Aug. 5-8 — U.N. sanctions, increased threats

Aug. 5

In response to ICBM tests by North Korea, the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved “the single largest economic sanctions package ever leveled against the North Korean regime,” according to U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley. It announced strict sanctions on exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood that it says would total more than $1 billion per year of income to the country.

Aug. 7

North Korea reacted to the U.N. sanctions by saying a “resolute action of justice” is on the way.

“We will make the U.S. pay by a thousand-fold for all the heinous crimes it commits against the state and people of this country,” said a statement from North Korea’s government.

Aug. 8

Trump, whose administration has responded to North Korea’s continued threats and launches with varying degrees of bold statements, took the exchange of threats to the next level.

"North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump told reporters from the clubhouse of his golf course in Bedminster, N.J. “They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.”

North Korea responded by announcing it’s looking at plans to strike the U.S. territory of Guam. The state-run KCNA news agency stated that the country’s plan to strike Guam could be ‘put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment’ once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision, according to Reuters.

North Korea responded by announcing it’s looking at plans to strike the U.S. territory of Guam. The state-run KCNA news agency stated that the country’s plan to strike Guam could be ‘put into practice in a multi-current and consecutive way any moment’ once leader Kim Jong Un makes a decision, according to Reuters.

Aug. 29 — missile over Japan

North Korea launched a missile that flies over Japan and prompted government officials to warn Japanese citizens to take cover.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staffsaid the missile traveled around 1,677 miles and reached a maximum height of 341 miles as it traveled over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and splashed into the Pacific Ocean.

“This reckless act of firing a missile over our nation is an unprecedented, serious and significant threat, one that seriously diminishes the peace and safety of the region, and as a result we have lodged a firm protest against North Korea,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.

Sept. 3 — sixth nuclear test

North Korea conducted its sixth-ever nuclear test, which set off an earthquake, and claimed the test was of a hydrogen bomb.

South Korea’s weather agency estimated the nuclear blast yield of the test was five to six times stronger than North Korea’s fifth test in September of 2016.

Sept. 14 — second missile over Japan

North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan that South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said traveled about 2,300 miles.

That range means Guam, 2,100 miles away, is now in reach of a North Korean strike.

Nov. 28 — third intercontinental ballistic missile test

North Korea launched its third ICBM test of 2017 after a 10-week break from more regular saber rattling over the summer. Analysts believe the launch represents the longest range test yet by the country.

The launch occurred in Sain Ni, North Korea, north of Pyongyang, and the missile traveled east about 620 miles and for 53 minutes before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.

The missile landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, an area that extends 200 nautical miles from its coasts.

We will continue to update this page in the coming days and weeks as new developments occur.